Panipak
Dec 10, 2011
Undergraduate / Common App Essay - "The Phone Call That Changed My Life" [NEW]
Option #1: Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
I'm not much of a writer.. any comments or help with grammar/content will be greatly appreciated! :)
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It was the 3rd of April 2008.
After spending over 12 hours on the plane, we finally reached our destination, London, United Kingdom. It was a regular family trip; my family and I would spend every vacation traveling abroad, so often that discovering new cultures has become one of my passions.
Early morning of the day after as we were still in the hotel room, my dad received a phone call from home, a phone call that completely reshaped my perspective on life. It was a horrifying news that we received, my dad informed us that one of my uncle's family were murdered inside their house, and the corpses were left unattended for more than a week. The room was filled with complete silence, I remember feeling a steady wave of numbness storming through my body as if I was slowly becoming paralyzed. I've never visualized such occurrence happening in my life. For a second I wished it was all a joke, but it was one harsh reality I had to accept.
Upon our return, the incident was already published on to local newspapers and publicized on the national news. I later found out that the brutal murder was all done purposely due to investment conflicts and issues in their business. I had countless days of sleepless nights and several hours spent wondering about the uncertainty in life. The incident has opened my eyes to the fact that I live in such an unpredictable world; opportunities and experiences I receive may vanish any second. The death of my two younger cousins struck me the most, they were deprived of a chance in living life, and of a chance to experience the things I am attaining everyday. That thought struck me hard. I knew it was time to appreciate every opportunity I'm given, to value the experiences I've been through in my life, and recognize their importance to me. Life to me from then was about appreciation and being able to obtain happiness from what it provides me, because as the incident has shown, happiness could suddenly be poured down the drain.
I came out of this experience not with a clearer definition of the meaning of existence, but rather, with a greater understanding of life. I felt like I needed to make my life more useful, to fight for the lives of the family that were taken away inhumanely. The situation has made me become a stronger person emotionally. I've learnt to always remain optimistic in every misfortune events in life, because if it doesn't kill you, it will only make you stronger. I've learnt to find happiness in the small things that are presented to me in everyday life, allowing me to attempt everything I do with a positive attitude.
Word Count: 461
Option #1: Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
I'm not much of a writer.. any comments or help with grammar/content will be greatly appreciated! :)
------------------------------------------
It was the 3rd of April 2008.
After spending over 12 hours on the plane, we finally reached our destination, London, United Kingdom. It was a regular family trip; my family and I would spend every vacation traveling abroad, so often that discovering new cultures has become one of my passions.
Early morning of the day after as we were still in the hotel room, my dad received a phone call from home, a phone call that completely reshaped my perspective on life. It was a horrifying news that we received, my dad informed us that one of my uncle's family were murdered inside their house, and the corpses were left unattended for more than a week. The room was filled with complete silence, I remember feeling a steady wave of numbness storming through my body as if I was slowly becoming paralyzed. I've never visualized such occurrence happening in my life. For a second I wished it was all a joke, but it was one harsh reality I had to accept.
Upon our return, the incident was already published on to local newspapers and publicized on the national news. I later found out that the brutal murder was all done purposely due to investment conflicts and issues in their business. I had countless days of sleepless nights and several hours spent wondering about the uncertainty in life. The incident has opened my eyes to the fact that I live in such an unpredictable world; opportunities and experiences I receive may vanish any second. The death of my two younger cousins struck me the most, they were deprived of a chance in living life, and of a chance to experience the things I am attaining everyday. That thought struck me hard. I knew it was time to appreciate every opportunity I'm given, to value the experiences I've been through in my life, and recognize their importance to me. Life to me from then was about appreciation and being able to obtain happiness from what it provides me, because as the incident has shown, happiness could suddenly be poured down the drain.
I came out of this experience not with a clearer definition of the meaning of existence, but rather, with a greater understanding of life. I felt like I needed to make my life more useful, to fight for the lives of the family that were taken away inhumanely. The situation has made me become a stronger person emotionally. I've learnt to always remain optimistic in every misfortune events in life, because if it doesn't kill you, it will only make you stronger. I've learnt to find happiness in the small things that are presented to me in everyday life, allowing me to attempt everything I do with a positive attitude.
Word Count: 461